Cellular steel.



J. M. RUDE.

CELLULAR STEEL.

APPLICATION FILED APR.30, 1910.

Patented Aug. 15, 1911 INVENTOR %%g W/T/VESSES: 7 h m 0n 0% r tain new and useful Improvements in Cellu-- larSteel, of which the following is a speci- UNITED STATES PATENT oFF -cn JAMES M. RUDE, OF COVINGTON, KENTUCKY, ASSIGNOR TO THE STEEL FIREPROOF CONSTRUCTION COMPANY,,OF COVINGTON, KENTUCKY, A CORPORATION OF KEN- :rUcKY.

CELLULAR STEEL.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES M. RUDE, a

citizen of the United States of America, and

resident of Covington, county of Kenton,

and State of Kentucky, have invented cerfication. l l This invention relates to cellular metal for forming fireproof walls, partitions, ceilings or floors.

An object of this invention is to roduce a new and improved cellular meta and a simple, effective and easy process of manufacturing such metal. This and other objects I attain by means of the process. and

o the cellular metal herein described and illus- 'trated' in the drawings accompanying this application and forming a part thereof.

Figure 1 is a partial sectional view and illustrates one step in the process of forming va corrugated web, which formsa detail of 3 my invention.

corresponding to Fig. 1, and illustrates a subsequent step in the process of forming' the corrugated web. Fig. 3 is a fragmental View ofa cover or exterior plate, which i forms a detail of my invention, in connection with a fragmental sectional view of the web, as it appears prior to securing the plate in place on it. Fig. 4 is a fragmental perspective view of cellular metal embodymg my invention. Fig. 5 is a fragmental sectional view and illustrates a modified form of cellular metal, which embodies my invention. Fig. 6 is a plan view of cellular metal, such as that shown in Fig. 4, and illustrates one method of securing the ex;

terior or cover plate to the web. Fig. 7 is a section along the line 7-7 of Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is a fragmental plan view of cellular metal and illustrates a second method of securing the exterior or cover plate to the troughing, and Fig. 9 is a sectional view along the line 99 of Fig. 8.

Referring to the drawings :-'the cellular metal illustrated as embodying my invention consists of a corrugated web vor troughing 10 and exterior or cover plates 11 and 12. The troughing is formed of sheet metal, pressed, rolled, or otherwise formed to rovide panels 13 and locking ridges 14, w ich are located at the apexes of the troughing between adjacent panels. In forming the troughing, the sheet metal is first pressed to Fig. ,2 is a sectional viewv Specification of Letters Patent Patent ed Aug," 15, 1911,

Application filed April 30, 1910. Serial No. 558,589.

form the panels 13 and intermediate flat surfaces 15, which are located betweenthe panels, as illustrated in Fig. 1. A rib 14 is then formed between each pair of adjacent panels 13, and these ribs, when formed, comprise the apexesof the troughingQ. Each japexes or ribs 14of the troughing. These grooves 17 are formed on the inner sides of the cover plates, and consequently form ridges or'ribs on the outer sides of the plates. Dove-tail or key slots 18 are also provided .in the cover plates and are located between the grooves 17. These slots 18 extend -parallel' to the groove 17 and may, if desired, be formed in the sheet metal at the same time the grooves are'formed. The slots 18 are preferably formed as illustrated, that is,

with the opening located on the outer faces of the plates, but this construction may be varied, so that they form a dove-tail tongue or ridge on the outer surfaces of the plates,

instead of the dove-tail slot; After the platesll and 12 are formed, the next-step in the process-of forming the cellular steel, is to assemble the troughing 1'0 and the plates and to secure the plates to the trough-ing. After the plates are located on the troughing, so that an apex or rib 14 of the troughing is located in each groove 17 of the plates, the grooves are compressed and forced into gripping contact with the ribs,

thereby locking the plates in place on the troughing. In compressing the grooves, I preferably distort the walls of the grooves, for the urpose of forming a. firmer and more positive connection between the plates and the ribs.

In Fi 6 and 7, I have illustrated one method in which the walls of the grooves 17 are corrugated along their length dur-' ing the pressing operation. In Fi s. 8 and 9, I have shown a second metho of distorting thewalls of the grooves 17, and it consists in pressing the grooves to form a series of alternately arranged lugs 19 and depressions 21, formed along the groove.

Either of these methods is efi'ective in forcing thewalls of the grooves into gripping I contact with the ribs 14. When the first method is employed, that is, the metholi illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7, I preferably corrugate adjacent ridges, so that the corrugations are located opposite to each other, as illustrated. This arrangement is advantageous where the cellular metal "is employed as a wall or a partition and is covered With concreteor a plaster, since itprevents the plastering from slipping, and in addition to thisthe corrugations strengthen the ribs and stiflen the'cellular metal. I

In Fig, 5,1 have illustrated still another method of locking the cover platesin place on the trou hing. This method consists in on the cellular metal, When concrete or plastering is employed, the material while plastic is formed into the slot and consequently forms. a key, which engages the slot itpelliold the-material in place after it has set-v and scope of my invention.

While I have illustrated the tr'oughin 10; as provided with panels 13 of equa Width,- it will be .apparent'that this is not essential, and it will also be apparent that when the material is employed ma curved wall or column constructiomit will be nec-:

essary to make the spaces between the oove 17 on the outer cover platelar er than those of the inner coverplate. Y T is and other variations fallwithin the spirit 1. Cellular metal consisting of 'troughing I cent panels and ribs between the. panels, and cover plates provided with ooves which engage the ribs of the t-roughlng.

2, Cellular metal comprising a 'trou ghing composed of. a metal sheet bent to form inclined. panels with ribs between thepanels,

and cover plates provided'with grooves,

eachof-which receives a rib of said troughing, and is distorted gagement' with the rib.

3. Cellular 'inetal consisting of a corrugated web, cover plates grooves which a receive an en age the apexes of the web, and key -slots ormed in the plates and located betweenthe grooves. JAMES M. RUDE.

Witnesses I 'WALTER F. MURRAY,

. E. W. MoCAILIsTER.

and pressed into encomposed of avmet al sheet'bent to form adjav rovided with 6 7 

